Social RoboticsCalifornia becomes first US state to regulate companion chatbots
Governor Newsom signed SB 243, setting safeguards for minors that apply from 1 January 2026.
Governor Gavin Newsom signed Senator Steve Padilla's SB 243 into law. Operators of companion chatbots must stop minors being exposed to sexual content, remind minors that they are talking to an AI, and run protocols for handling suicidal ideation and self-harm that include referrals to crisis services. Operators must also file annual reports, and families gain a private right to sue. As AI companions move into physical robots and toys, the law sets an early template for how such products may be required to behave with young users.
Source: Office of Senator Steve Padilla
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